Merrimack Valley couldn’t have started the game any better.
Sophomore pitcher Luke Dougherty struck out his first opponent, and the defense behind him took care of the other two outs in the bottom of the first.
It took four at-bats for the Pride to score the game’s first run after a sacrifice fly by Owen Bernier and an RBI single by Alex McPherson’s. Things were looking good for the Pride.
But things change.
A few defensive errors and an inability to replicate that first-inning magic set MV back, and its three-game win streak was snapped in an 8-4 Division II baseball loss against Kingswood on Friday at Beebe Field.
The first round of errors arrived in the third inning as the Pride maintained their 2-0 lead. Kingswood’s Caleb Desrochers hit the ball deep into left field, the ball’s exchange from outfield to infield was fumbled and, as a result, it quickly tied the game up.
An RBI single ended the scoring in the third for the visiting Knights, and a quiet back-and-forth game commenced until the top of the six, when the next batch of defense woes occurred for MV (6-4).
Dougherty (5⅓ IP, 3 K, 4 BB, 1 ER) was relieved by sophomore Cam Chevarie in the bottom of the sixth and runners stood on first and second. Jonathan Hossak bunted into the infield. An errant throw to first brought in another run and the Knights piled on as they closed out the inning with three more runs and an 8-2 lead.
The Pride’s attempted rally, much like the start to the game, looked good. Dougherty had a line drive hit to short and beat throw at first base. A Knights error allowed Dylan Garvin to reach first, and Aidan Lacasse was hit by the pitch.
Dom McGee took the plate with bases loaded and no outs, but Kingswood turned a double play at second and first while allowing MV’s third run of the game. Jackson Mercer then smacked the ball deep into left field for an RBI double, but nothing else came from the inning.
Unfortunately for the Pride, they couldn’t carry that same offensive production into the seventh despite five batters seeing the plate.
“Defensively, we just needed to play a cleaner game,” coach Sean Wheeler said. “We’ve gone in spurts since we’ve came back from April break where we’ve played well defensively and we’ve been in every ball game, but a couple lapses in a couple of innings cost us a little bit.”
Since April vacation, the Pride have posted one of the best records in the divison at 4-2, with important wins over Hollis-Brookline and Pelham. Their only loss aside from Friday’s game was a 7-6 defeat to St. Thomas on May 4.
One loss doesn’t set anything back for MV, however. It still has five games left on its schedule despite four of them away from its home diamond. Pending a unfortunate collapse down the stretch, the Pride should look toward the playoffs knowing they’ll play in the first round — and if all goes well, competing on their home diamond.
The Pride also had to have a quick memory after Friday’s game against Kingswood because they traveled to the Knights’ diamond on Saturday and they have another game on Monday.
Friday was an uncharacteristic game from a solid team.
“That’s the great part about baseball,” Wheeler said. “Most of these teams have a short turnaround, and we get to play tomorrow.”